The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Mountain, you are now Chief Red Hand of the Burning Men. You must sacrifice a part of your body so we can conclude the ceremony. Please draw your dagger and cut off a part of your body, then throw it into the fire pit,” Old Teim said.

“Sacrifice a part of my body?”

“Yes, Mountain Red Hand.”

If it were a noble, they wouldn't directly call him by his nickname, Mountain, but would address him by his true name: Gregor Clegane, because this was a solemn ceremony. However, the Burning Men didn't adhere to the refined and meticulous details of noble civilization; they were more primitive and crude. The old man found it easier to call him Mountain, so he directly addressed him as Mountain Red Hand.

“Old Teim, are there any specific requirements for this sacrifice?”

“My lord, the more important the body part sacrificed, the more it demonstrates your courage and the sincerity of your faith.”

“Oh, what do warriors in our tribe usually sacrifice?”

“A finger, or a piece of skin.”

“But I am not an ordinary warrior,” Mountain said solemnly.

“Yes, my lord, you are Chief Red Hand, the most respected leader, the strongest warrior, and the bravest hero of the tribe. You are the tribe's highest honor.”

“Then my sacrifice cannot be an ordinary one.”

Old Teim paused slightly. He didn't want Mountain to be inconvenienced by the sacrifice, which would hinder him in battle, but rules were rules: “Yes, my lord.”

“Before this, I heard that One-Eyed Teim sacrificed his left eye to prove his courage, and he became the tribe's youngest Red Hand and earned the respect of the entire tribe.”

“Yes.”

“So, if I sacrifice one of my eyes, my courage and piety would only be equal to One-Eyed Teim's?”

“...Uh...yes...Mountain Red Hand...”

“Hmm, I need to think about what I need to sacrifice to be worthy of my esteemed position as Chief Red Hand,” Mountain said, revealing a thoughtful expression. After a moment, he made a decision. “Since I am Chief Red Hand of the Burning Men—then I must offer a part that surpasses ordinary people's most precious possessions. I, Gregor Clegane, the new Red Hand of the Burning Men, hereby swear that I am willing to offer my head as a sacrifice to the Fire God.”

After completing his oath, Mountain instinctively reached for his sword on his back, only to find it empty. He was holding a military meeting in Clegane Keep's hall, and naturally wasn't wearing plate armor or carrying the Ice giant sword in peacetime.

But his oath and actions startled Lady Janei, causing her to stand up involuntarily.

Mountain's oath and actions were too shocking. Ice was a giant sword, not a small knife for cutting fruit. Was he really planning to draw such a heavy sword to chop off his own head? Sacrificing a part of the body was just a ritual. What was wrong with Mountain? Had he lost his mind?!

Mountain's actions and the talk of sacrificing his head also gave Old Teim a severe fright.

“My lord, you are new to the tribe and may not fully understand the tribe's sacrificial rituals. Ordinary sacrifices only require severing a finger. I am the previous Red Hand, and I only severed two fingers,” Old Teim said softly, raising his hand to show Mountain his severed little finger and ring finger.

The implication was that talk of sacrificing one's head should not be taken lightly.

“But One-Eyed Teim has already sacrificed his eye. My sacrifice after him must go a step further, so the only option is to sacrifice my head,” Mountain said with a sincere tone and a pious expression. He knew that the Burning Men's faith in the Fire God didn't actually originate from the Fire God's miracles, but from the 'miracle' of the dragon knight Nettle.

*

Based on the world trajectory before the transmigration and the various information feedback obtained after the transmigration, Mountain was certain that Nettle, one hundred and seventy years ago, was not a true Fire God priestess. She was a pseudo-Fire God priestess who had become a priestess halfway to escape King Rhaenyra's pursuit—and the oath of the sworn shield who had let her escape, forcing her to impersonate a Fire God priestess in the Painted Dogs tribe.

Because the dragon knight Nettle had Sheepstealer as her mount, she naturally became a Fire God priestess when she claimed to be one in the misty mountains of the Mountains of the Moon. At that time, the Burning Men, a branch of the Painted Dogs, had not yet separated from the Painted Dogs. They were backward and primitive, and after seeing the dragon and dragon knight, they firmly believed in Nettle's words.

The idea of sacrificing a part of the body to the Fire God didn't originate from the Fire God's miraculous revelation, but from the dragon knight Nettle's arbitrary creation of a set of religious rituals. At that time, she needed the Burning Men to provide food and water for her and Sheepstealer, and those who delivered the food had to withstand the high temperatures because Sheepstealer always liked to breathe dragonflame to threaten those who came to offer food. Mountain guessed that Sheepstealer hadn't yet adapted to the 'hidden' life and had a bad temper, liking to breathe fire to scare those who approached.

Since becoming concerned about Sheepstealer, Mountain had subtly inquired about Sheepstealer's details that had been circulating among the Burning Men during the past month since returning to the Westerlands, from One-Eyed Teim and other Burning Men.

Although Mountain didn't dare to break the so-called tradition that didn't originate from the Fire God's true miraculous revelation, he didn't need to truly revere it.

*

Old Teim looked at Melisandre, hoping she could remind Mountain to be cautious. Body parts, cut off unimportant ones and throw them into the fire to end the ritual, but never sacrifice one's own life.

In fact, Melisandre was also caught off guard.

She now understood that the Burning Men had a primitive tradition of sacrificing body parts to the Fire God. Although the Red God R'hllor also required the sacrifice of life or blood, it was always someone else's life and blood, not one's own. If wizards sacrificed their own lives or organs to the Red God R'hllor, the Red God's priests would probably have become extinct.

With Melisandre's experience and mastery of various sacrificial rituals for the Fire God's wizards, she had never heard of sacrificing one's own body parts to worship the Fire God.

The Burning Men's faith in the Fire God was unique!

Melisandre looked at Mountain and was about to speak out as a Fire God priestess, but Mountain insisted: “Red Hand Teim, Lady Melisandre, since I am the newly inherited Chief Red Hand, I must offer something different from other warriors. Other warriors sacrifice fingers or skin, and One-Eyed Teim even sacrificed his left eye. Therefore, as Chief Red Hand, I must be more pious, more courageous, and more solemn than everyone else's sacrifices. I have decided to sacrifice my life.” Mountain said with a stern expression. He stood up, turned around, and looked at Brienne: “General Brienne, go and fetch my Ice sword and cut off my head.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the hall paled in horror.

Old Teim and One-Eyed Teim were both shocked! The other Burning Men warriors were sweating profusely on their foreheads and noses, their faces pale, and their lips trembling.

The Burning Men had just been reborn, gaining the strongest Chief Red Hand, but in the blink of an eye, the Chief Red Hand was going to sacrifice his own life?! They felt extremely uncomfortable, as if many crabs were pinching inside their organs...

*

“My lord, absolutely not,” Sweetmouth Ralf, the Executioner Dunsen, and the artist Polliver rushed out at the same time to stop Mountain.

Juli, Anguy, Landon Garl, Lady Daltry, Notebook, Big Head Chiswyck, Captain Elyn, Captain Joyce, General Jaco Locke... dozens of people rushed out, shouting loudly... Chief Warden Fang was like a shadow, and Rorge was like a giant bear. They both ran towards Brienne, stopping her from fetching the sword... The scene was in chaos...

“You must not desecrate my courage and piety. God's will is like heaven and cannot be violated. I am the supreme Chief Red Hand, and I must sacrifice the most precious thing to the Fire God,” Mountain said. “Brienne, go get Ice. If you don't, I will use an ordinary sword.”

With a clang, the generals of Crab Claw Peninsula rushed out in a fan shape to grab Mountain, fearing that he would draw his sword and commit suicide. Lady Janei stood there dumbfounded, unable to move!

“No matter what god it is, Mountain, you must not sacrifice your own life,” Maester Hallis shouted hoarsely from the periphery. He didn't have the courage to fight past the beasts around him and could only make his voice heard from the outside.

Court Maester Paggie was as stiff as a wooden chicken: What kind of ritual was this? Forcing Mountain to sacrifice his own head? This Fire God was too evil. Why was Mountain sacrificing his life to prove himself to him?! It must be an evil god!!!

“Mountain's courage has already been tested by war and does not need to be proven by sacrificing any body parts,” Sansa Stark's calm voice echoed throughout the hall. “Whether it is the Old Gods or the New Gods, they have all witnessed Mountain's bravery and fearlessness. From 298 AC to now, he is the invincible Mountain. His courage is unmatched in the Seven Kingdoms.”

Sansa's words caused a resounding chorus of agreement in the hall. The generals echoed her, all saying that Sansa's words were the truth and that Mountain did not need to sacrifice to prove his courage and piety. Mountain's courage and piety had already been repeatedly proven in the fires of war.

The generals surrounded Mountain. Polliver was so frightened that he clung tightly to Mountain's arm to prevent him from drawing his sword and committing suicide. Fortunately, Mountain did not have the urge to chop off his own head. Brienne was also standing beside Lady Janei, her eyes wide. She didn't even go to the room to help Mountain fetch the Ice giant sword.

The generals and servants all opposed Mountain sacrificing his head to the Fire God.

Old Teim had never encountered such determination before. He was at a loss. He naturally had no doubt about Mountain's courage and piety, but sacrificing a part of the body was the tribe's tradition. For one hundred and seventy years, the tribe's warriors had sacrificed various organs, but no one had ever sacrificed their own head: Mountain was the first tribal member in one hundred and seventy years willing to sacrifice his own head.

And Mountain's head definitely couldn't be chopped off. There was no doubt about that. Once it was chopped off, it could never be grown back.

A clear, enchanting voice, as if from an empty mountain moon shadow, ethereal with a soul-stirring penetrating power, rang out. Melisandre spoke: “Generals, lords, ladies, knights, since Mountain has said that he wants to sacrifice his own life, we must respect his decision. This is also the highest piety towards the Fire God. But the lord's mission has not yet been completed. The war against the Others in the North continues, and the Night King needs Mountain to resist, otherwise we will all die. Today's sacrifice, in the name of the Fire God wizard and with the piety of the Fire God's messenger, I declare that when Mountain's true mission is accomplished, then he will sacrifice his head to the Fire God.”

“No, Mountain's head must never be cut off. If the oath cannot be broken, I am willing to take his place,” Polliver said sharply.

“I am also willing!” Juli Clegane said.

“And my head,” Landon Garl and Com Warner said in unison.

“Let me do it, my head is bigger,” Big Head Chiswyck said.

Mountain looked at the crowd and said: “I have already sworn to sacrifice my life to the Fire God, and I will not go back on my word. But the Others will launch an extinction war against our human race in the winter. My mission has indeed not been accomplished. Lady Melisandre, what part of my body can I use to temporarily replace my head to sacrifice to the Fire God?”

“Hair, Gregor, you can use your hair first. Preferably all of your hair,” Lady Janei said in a stern voice.

“Cutting hair in place of the head, sacrificing to the Fire God with life, Mountain Red Hand's piety and courage are unmatched,” Melisandre announced in a singing tone.

Cutting hair in place of the head!

This story was naturally not unfamiliar. Mountain before transmigration was very familiar with this story. This story was very classic, saying that a treacherous hero issued a military order that soldiers must not trample on the people's crops, and those who violated the order would be beheaded! During the march, a bird flew up from the farmland, causing his warhorse to be startled. The warhorse rushed into the farmland and trampled on the crops. The treacherous hero then drew his sword to commit suicide in order to uphold the military order, but he was bitterly persuaded by the generals and strategists. So he cut off his hair in place of his head. After the incident spread, the three armies were shocked, and wherever the military order reached, no one dared to disobey!

Mountain borrowed this method. No one doubted his sincerity except himself.

This was a world with gods, and of course, there was no shortage of impious people, such as Little Devil. But no one would doubt Mountain's courage and piety. In such a ritual, everything was solemn and sacred.

It would take Mountain digging out one of his eyes or cutting off several of his fingers, at least two, to match his esteemed position as Chief Red Hand, his courage, and his strength, but Mountain was unwilling.

Mountain didn't internally agree with the Burning Men's sacrifice of body parts. Their Fire God faith originated from the teachings of the dragon knight Nettle, and the sixteen-year-old Nettle girl was previously a commoner girl who herded sheep. After conquering Sheepstealer, she became a dragon knight, entered the royal palace, and learned the dragon riding commands in High Valyrian. Her life experience had never included the inheritance of Fire God faith.

The Burning Men's religious rituals actually originated from Nettle's self-creation due to the circumstances at the time!

Even in a world with gods, some gods' religious rituals were still created by people, not miracles. And some gods also originated from people's creation and did not exist in the first place.

As Mountain's hair was cut off by Melisandre and thrown into the fire pit, everyone in the hall felt more pious reverence and loyalty towards Mountain.